Missions seize lead, then fade late

By Pat Turner :
August 21, 2012
: Updated: August 22, 2012 12:38am

Jonathan Galvez (left) of the Missions is tagged out by Frisco's Leury Garcia as he tries to steal second.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

San Antonio Missions' Reymond Fuentes, left, celebrates a run with teammate Jonathan Galvez during a Texas League baseball game against the Frisco Roughriders, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012, in San Antonio.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

Frisco Roughriders' Guilder Rodriguez, right, slides under San Antonio Missions' Jeudy Valdez, left, at second base as Missions' Jonathan Galvez looks on during a Texas League baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012, in San Antonio.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

A fan tries to catch a foul ball during a Texas League baseball game between the Frisco Roughriders and the San Antonio Missions, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012, in San Antonio.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

A fan shows off the baseball bat he caught after it flew out of a batter's hand and into the crowd during a Texas League baseball game between the Frisco Roughriders and the San Antonio Missions, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012, in San Antonio.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

Frisco Roughriders' Chris McGuiness (21) battles fans for a foul ball during a Texas League baseball game against the San Antonio Missions, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012, in San Antonio.

Photo By Darren Abate/Express-News

San Antonio Missions' Reymond Fuentes (15) swings at a pitch thrown by Frisco Roughriders' Wilfredo Boscan during a Texas League baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012, in San Antonio.

The Missions arrived back home around 10 a.m. Tuesday from a rough 0-6 road swing to Springfield and Arkansas.

They found no relief at home as Frisco used a four-run seventh inning to rally to a 6-3 victory before 4,123 at Wolff Stadium.

While the Missions saw their losing streak reach a season-high seven games, Frisco, the first-half South Division champion, won its seventh straight and remained within five games of second-half leader Corpus Christi.

The Missions' playoff hopes, on the other hand, are just about over as they fall nine behind with 13 contests remaining.

Despite the late arrival from Little Rock, the Missions showed some energy early.

Reymond Fuentes gave San Antonio a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a lead-off home run.

Although Frisco followed suit with Ryan Strausborger's game-tying solo shot in the third, Dean Anna helped the Missions bounce back for a 3-1 lead. Their go-ahead run came in the fourth when Anna opened with a double and eventually scored on catcher Joe Felix's throwing error.

Anna padded the Missions' lead in the sixth with a leadoff homer to right.

Meanwhile, starter Casey Kelly breezed along after surrendering the early homer, giving the Missions hopes of ending their skid.

“We were feeling good with the way Casey was pitching,” Anna said. “We had a little momentum.”

But Kelly and the Missions ran out of gas in the seventh, as their 3-1 lead turned into a 5-3 deficit during Frisco's four-run rally.

Engel Beltre delivered the big blow with a two-run double, while Felix added an RBI single and later scored on a passed ball.

Felix homered in the ninth to increase Frisco's margin.

“Casey pitched well,” Anna said. “We got him a few runs, but Frisco came up with the big hits late. We didn't get the big hits. I came up with runners on late in the game and didn't get the job done. We have to get those timely hits.”

The Missions will again try to stop the bleeding tonight. It won't be any easier against Frisco starter and Texas A&M-ex Barret Loux (14-1), 5-0 against the Missions this year. Josh Geer (5-5) starts for S.A.